Netflix (2015)

Very good value for unlimited video streaming. Apps available for a multitude of devices. Huge catalog of content, including high-quality original programming. Family-friendly videos. Parental controls.

Cons
Little to no information about changes to availability of content. Slim cutting-edge content selection.

Bottom Line

Given all you can get for a measly $8 per month, Netflix remains a bargain. Paying for an account is a no-brainer, especially for those of us who live without cable.

Throughout its long, sometimes bumpy history, Netflix has remained one of the most prominent players in the video-on-demand arena. Certainly, Netflix could be better. You won't find cutting-edge releases, which you can often buy à la carte from Amazon Instant Video or iTunes for a few bucks, but really, the Netflix experience delivers way more than you would ever expect to reap from an $8 per-month plan. With a huge catalog of classic and original content, good account controls, and excellent value for its primary plan, Netflix remains our Editors' Choice for video streaming services. Consider it a must for cord cutters.

What's in the Catalog?Netflix's catalog of content casts an extremely wide net, but it changes all the time. Shows that are available one day may be gone the next. A movie might be available by disc only, until it unexpectedly appears as a featured new film in your streaming view. It's difficult to state authoritatively what is and is not in Netflix's catalog at any given moment. For more analysis on the breadth and quality of the catalog as compared with other services, see "Netflix Instant vs. Amazon Prime."

A growing library of original Netflix programming has also quickly become a pop culture phenomenon in its own right. Shows like House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, the Arrested Development Revival, and Marvel's Daredevil have been celebrated in terms typically reserved for HBO shows. Netflix also produces comedy specials and documentaries if you're looking for something more self-contained. Being able to join the conversation surrounding this content, especially in the "binge watching" media landscape Netflix has helped foster, makes a Netflix subscription even more tempting. Hulu may have a stronger overall television lineup, but right now Netflix's exclusives are untouchable, and competitors are scrambling to keep up.

Plans, Prices, Perceived ValueA Netflix price hike always seems just around the corner, but right now a basic Netflix account, at $7.99 per month, gives you the ability to stream unlimited hours of movies and TV shows from anything you can find in the "Instant" catalog. Netflix no longer brands this streaming section as "Netflix Instant," as it once did, instead positioning it as its primary offering. Officially, it's now called the "Unlimited Streaming" plan, but you'll typically only see that term if you dive into your Netflix account settings. Otherwise, it's just Netflix. The default streaming plan prevents you from streaming on more than two screens at once. For families or groups of friends looking to share accounts, the $11.99 four-screen plan might be a more feasible option.

A lesser known option is the Limited Streaming plan, which costs just $4.99 per month and comes with so many miserly restrictions that it's hard to imagine a scenario in which it would be worthwhile. With the Limited plan, you can watch content from a limited version of the catalog only on PCs and Macs and only for a total of two hours per month.

Netflix began back in the late 90s as a DVD-by-mail service, and the company does still offer physical discs if you pay extra. In other words, you first have to pay for an Unlimited Streaming (or Limited Streaming) account first, and then add to that cost an addition chunk of change per month for discs. The main reason to opt for a DVD-by-mail add-on is that it expands the Netflix catalog immensely. When you can't find a particular TV show or film to stream, you'll often find it among the DVDs. Prices for DVD plans start at $4.99 per month for one disc at a time for a maximum of two discs per month. (Postage is included in all prices.) To get unlimited DVDs per month, but only one disc at a time, you'll pay $7.99 on top of your other Netflix base price. Want more discs at a time? The most expensive plan costs $15.99 per month ($19.99 if you want Blu-ray discs), and that gets you up to three discs at a time with no limits on the number per month.

At those prices, you might as well check whether you can buy or rent the same content through Amazon Instant or iTunes instead. You won't have to wait for an envelope in the mail either.

Ways to WatchWith an account, you can stream movies and TV shows from the Netflix catalog onto an ever-increasing number of devices. Practically every mobile device, set-top box (media streamer, hub, and DVR), and smart TV supports Netflix. Several devices even have a Netflix button built onto their remote controls.

For those that want to stick to streaming on laptops or desktops, Netflix recently redesigned its Web interface into one that closely resembles many of its app interfaces. Hovering over an icon on the main menu will display all the information you need to know about a movie or show without moving you to a separate page. Instead, content appears as attractive inline images on the grid. The new setup works great for quick browsing, especially on a touch screen PC.

Family Content, Controls, and ExtrasNetflix offers a wide range of family-friendly content in its instant catalog, as well as specific content for young children. In your account settings, you can access parental controls that restrict what content is available to view (the options read as: G and below, PG and below, and so forth).

Some of the other controls are only available when you watch Netflix content in certain apps, which is why PCMag reviews each app separately. Closed captioning is one such feature. The ability to edit your instant queue (now known as My List), or list of content that you want to watch, is another. Sorting available content by the language in which it is subtitled is yet another. Fortunately, recent updates have mostly standardized these features across apps.

Another feature in your account preferences called "Manage video quality," lets you choose good, better, and best streaming quality. These toggles limit Netflix's streaming to 0.3, 0.7, and 1.0GB per hour (or 2.3GB per hour for HD content), respectively, which is good to know if you have a usage cap from your Internet service provider.

Get Your Video Fix With NetflixIt's fair to say that many Americans have a Netflix account, whether they are cable cord-cutters or not. Over the years, Netflix has pervaded North American households, and crept into those in Mexico, Brazil, the U.K., Ireland, Sweden, Norway, and several others in Latin America and Scandinavia. Netflix's catalog may not wow film lovers with the latest releases, but it does stock an enormous array of quirky 80s TV shows, British cult hits, family favorites, comedy specials featuring well-known performers, trendy original programming, and much, much more. Not every subscription plan is a winner, but the monthly price for Unlimited Streaming is a bargain and the reason Netflix is our Editors' Choice. Any household looking to slash a pricey cable bill ought to sign up for Netflix today and add it to the many ways you can stream video content.

Jill Duffy is a contributing editor, based in Washington, D.C., specializing in productivity apps and software, as well as apps and gadgets for health and fitness. She writes the weekly Get Organized column, with tips...

Former PCMag intern Jordan Minor is a junior software analyst who really just wants to use his fancy Northwestern University journalism degree to write about video games. He’s previously written for Kotaku, The A.V. Club,...

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